Potato-harvester



(No Model.) 2 2 Shets-She'et 1.

. J. L. WOOLLEY.

POTATO HARVBSTER.

No. 425,922. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

A1319; 1-: I Event qr:

(No Model.) 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2-,

J. L. WOOL-LBY. POTATO HARVBSTER.

No. 425,922.. Patented Apr. 15. 1890.

lrii

I Atts't: Inventor: Q Jiyz .17, 2 502 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. IVOOLLEY, OF GOLDEN, COLORADO.

POTATO-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,922, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed May 14, 1888. Serial No. 273,900. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. OOLLEY, of Golden, in the county of J effersonand State of Colorado, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Potato-Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure I is a side elevation of my improved device, showing it out of gear and in the position it occupies when turning around or when it is being moved from place to place. I

Fig. II is a side view showing the parts in using position. Fig. III is a top view. Fig. IV is a detail perspective view of the elevator-carrier. Fig. V is an enlarged perspective view of the shovel. Fig. VI is a detail view, and Fig. VII is a perspective view of the weed-catcher. Fig. VIII is a side view of the shovel and weed-catcher.

My invention relates to a machine for digging and gathering potatoes; and my invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a frame of rectangular or other shape, and which is mounted on wheels 2 and casterwheels 3. The wheels 2 turn on an axle or cross-piece 4, and to one of the wheels is secured a cog-wheel 5, with which meshes a pinion 6 on a shaft 7, journaled in boxes 8, supported by the frame 1 at one side of the machine, and on the shaft 7 is a chain-wheel 9, over which passes a chain-belt 10 that also passes over another chain-wheel 11 on a shaft 12, journaled in the upper end of the elevator 13. On the shaft 12 are wheels 14, over which the carrier 15 of the elevator passes at the upper end of the elevator. At the lower end of the elevator are wheels 16, over which the carrier passes at the lower end of the elevator. The carrier is composed of chains 17, (see Fig. IV,) connected by rods 18 and buckets 19, said buckets having inwardly-projecting cars 19, secured to inwardly-projecting lugs 17 on some of the links of the chains, which are made to flare outward from the chains 17, as shown in Fig. IV. This construction forms an open carrier, through which dirt may readily pass, but which is sufficiently close to prevent the passage of the potatoes.

20 represents a horizontal shovel located in front of the lower end of the elevator 13, and which delivers the potatoes onto the elevator. The construction of the shovel is shown best in Fig. V, it consisting of a blade 21 and an upwardly-inclined heel 22. The blade enters the ground, (when the machine is at work,) as shown in Fig. II, and the potatoes and dirt pass up over the heel and are delivered into the buckets of the elevator.

As the machine is moved forward the elevator turns in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. II, and the potatoes are carried up and delivered into a hopper or spout 23, located at the rear of the machine, and which may discharge into a sack or other receptacle, if desired. Asthe potatoes are thus carried up and discharged into the hopper, the dirt sifts through between the rods 18 and falls upon the ground.

The heel of the shovel has side pieces 24 perforated at the corners, as shown at 25, to receive rivets-or pins 26,by which links 27 28 are secured to the shovel at their lower ends. The upper ends of the links 27 are connected at 29 to cranks 30 on a rock-shaft 31, journaled in boxes 32 secured to the frame of the machine. of the shovel, and in addition to these links 32 are also secured to the front of the shovel, and which are connected at their upper ends to the frame of the machine by means of short links 33. The lower ends of the links 32 are connected to the shovel by the same rivets or bolts that connect the links 27 to the shovel. The links 28 are made in two parts The links 27 are secured to the front with a joint 40, as shown in Fig. VI. The

upper ends of the upper parts are connected to cranks 41 on a rock-shaft 42, journaled in boxes 43 secured to the seat-support 44.

45 represents the seat. 46 represents a lever on the shaft 42, and 47 represents a lever on the shaft 31.

. 48 represents a frame which fits and slides on the frame 1. To this frame 48, the shaft 7 of the gear-wheel 9 is secured by the boxes 8 of the shaft. The frame 48 is held on the frame 1 by means of plates or brackets 50. (See Fig. III.)

The elevator is connected to the frame 1 by a meansiof strips 51-,which are grooved tore I eeive the edges-of the elevaton ee dotted lines, Fig; III.) 4 The frame48 is connected to the elevator by; means of an arm-53,-pivoted at 54 to the frameand at55' to the elevator;

- The grooved-strips 51 are-slotted, as shown at56, Figs Iand IL-for the passageof the'pin i 57that connects the upper ends of the links o .53-tothe elevato11.- As the frame 48 ismo-ved :in the direction indicated by thearromFig;

4 II, from the position shown in Fig. IIto the position shown: in Fig-I, thegpinion 6 is-carried-outof engagement with the cog-Wheel; 5 and the elevator, together with the parts attached to: it, are, raised from the i position shown in Fig; II to: the position shown in'Fig; 4 1. Thisis done when a corner is to be. turned, 5 or when the machineis tobe placedin posi shaft :31: having a; crank 60: connectedby tionfor transportation. This movementof theparts is accomplished by the lever 47., the

means of alinklil to the sliding frame 458; It

4 will thus be seen that when the lever is moved 1 in the direction indioated by the arrow inFig';

II the frame 48 will be moved together with ;theelevator,asdescribed: This movement of i the lever .47 also :lifts theshovel from the ground through means of the noun eating-links 4 -27-and cranks 39. :Asthe shovelis raised,-the

1 I when theparts are lowered again these links 4 1 prevent the shovelfrom entering the ground lZOOfELIZ:;:.----:;:.--

- The object of: the links 28 isjto raise and" lower theheel of the shovel, and this. is done by moving the lever 4 46 in the desired rlirecl links: 32 33 fold up, as shown in Fig. Land 4 tion;

i Phe joints of thelink 48 are made to move in a vertical position by the connecting-pins at 40, working in keepers or brackets 65.

70 represents a Weed-catcher of the shape shown in Fig. VII, which is secured to the sides 24 of the shovel 20, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. V. It has holes 71 to receive "weeds frotntheshovel; 1

bolts that also pass through'holes 72 in the sides oftheshovel -I-t maybe adj-nsied up or down, as desired, by moving-the bolts to dif .4 i .ferent holes It catches .and deflectsthe Iolaim asmy invention 4- 1. :1na-potato-harvester,-the combination of ashovel; elevatonand means for operatingtheelevator, the elevator being composed of side r i 4 chains, some of thelinks of which are provided with inwardly-projecting lugs, connect:- ing-rods between the chains and buckets 19 separate from the connecting-rods having in i 4 wardly-projecting ears seouredtoithe; lugs ofsaid chains, substantially as set forth.

the shovel, elevator, means: for-turning the pnrpose set forth. 4

4 4. In a potato-harvester, thecomb'inationof the shovel having, sides 24: and a Weed-catcher 4 4 4 having abroad guard-surface adjustably se I cored to the sides of the shovel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN L. WOOLLEY. In presence of JOSEPH MANN, D- E. HARRISON.

elevator; and means for lifting the elevator t and. shovel simultaneously, said -me-ans con+ sisting of a sliding, frame to which the elevator is connected, a rock-shaft, connection between the rock-shaft and sliding fl'alllB,'Pl;1GVP 0nthe rook-shaft,-an d links conneotingthe-shovel I i 4 to the rock-shaft, substantially as and for the 1 

